Karnataka caste census extended, school timings altered
Bengaluru: The ongoing Social and Educational Survey, widely referred to as the caste census, that was scheduled to end on Tuesday has been extended, as per the memo issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy.
The department has altered the school timings, when it reopens on October 8 after the Dasara holidays, to allow teachers to complete the survey work.
The government and aided schools in the Greater Bengaluru area will have classes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from October 8 to 24. The teachers who are appointed as enumerators will take part and complete the survey work after school hours during this period.
In the rest of the state, all government and aided schools will have classes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from October 8 to 12.
The memo dated October 6 refers to a letter from the Backward Classes Welfare Department stating that more time was needed to complete the survey.
It said the decision altering the school timing has been taken in the academic interest of the students and to ensure that classes do not suffer due to the survey after the mid-year vacations.
The survey, being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, began on September 22 and was scheduled to conclude on October 7.
The survey was delayed in the Greater Bengaluru area at the request of the authorities for training and necessary preparations. The survey is currently underway.
A formal announcement by the Commission regarding the extension of the survey has been made. Conducted at an estimated cost of ₹420 crore, the exercise uses a 60-question questionnaire and is being carried out scientifically, officials said.
The government had spent ₹165.51 crore on an earlier Social and Educational Survey in 2015, which was later discarded.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
